Enormous cost advantages and reliability of integrated circuit packages such as the dual-in-line packages commonly known as "DIPs" have led to ever-widening use of these integrated circuit units in printed circuit electronic assemblies for electrical and electronic devices of all kinds. Computers, switching and switchboard equipment, television, radio, audio, consumer electronic products and scientific instrumentation all make wide use of printed circuits carrying integrated circuit packages. Electrical connections mechanically securing and electrically bonding the terminals of the integrated circuit packages to the terminal apertures of the printed circuit boards are made by insertion of the protruding package terminals through these terminal apertures, generally followed by wave soldering steps. I.C. sockets are frequently used on printed circuit boards, but they have varying degrees of mechanical insertion resistance, requiring frequent adjustment of automatic insertion machinery.
Alignment of the packages and their insertion can be performed manually, but seizing, gripping, holding, orienting and inserting these small DIPs is a tiring manipulation task for the operator. Orientation of the DIPs is critical, and a DIP inserted upside down is generally useless. In addition, certain varieties of DIPs such as MOS and CMOS DIPs are extremely sensitive to static electrical charges, which may be generated merely by handling the DIP itself. Electrical grounding of the DIP terminals during handling and insertion is the only practical way to avoid serious damage or destruction of the DIP by such harmful static charges.
DIPs are normally packed for shipment and storage in elongated hollow plastic tubes of irregular cross-sectional configuration, matching the angularly splaying protruding rows of terminals on each side of the DIP. Being packed in these tubular "dipsticks", end to end in proper orientation, the terminals of the DIPs are all protected inside the tubular dipstick and cannot be bent or damaged or affected by static electrical charges. Mounting of these dipsticks in dipstick storage racks or dispensers for release of the DIPs therefrom exposes the DIP terminals upon dispensing to deformation or damage or to harmful static charges.
Portable or plunger-actuated DIP-holding devices such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,393, 3,628,244, 3,535,763, 3,443,297, and 3,896,533 required individual loading of each DIP into the device prior to its transportation and insertion in the printed circuit board, with unavoidable risk of damage or static charge degradation of the integrated circuits. For these reasons there is a serious unfilled need for a portable hand-held DIP insertion tool having the capability of receiving and holding the loaded dipstick storage tube in the manner of an automatic-dispensing magazine, insuring that DIPs are physically and electrically isolated until they are actually installed in the printed circuit board itself.
A bottom-delivery dispensing device having a "squared-ring" shape has been marketed by Unitool Corporation of Sunnyvale, California under the name "DIPSHOT", having the limited capability of dispensing the DIP with its terminals extending downward beneath the operator's hand, which grips one side of the ring. Such downward dispensing creates unavoidable alignment and observation difficulties, and this device is less convenient to use than a conventional stapling gun.